Lake Worth art gallery gears up for one, last hurrah

The works of Stephane, a Belgian artist who lives in Wellington, will be featured at The Bruce Webber Gallery in Lake Worth starting Thursday.

That is certainly true for Bruce Webber, owner of The Art Shop and The Bruce Webber Gallery on Lucerne Avenue. Slow sales forced Webber, 70, to downsize his gallery because he’s not selling as many paintings as he used to.

The 705 Lucerne Avenue property is up for sale as Webber looks forward to the next chapter of his life.

But before that happens, Webber hopes to go out with a bang.

His last exhibition, "CoBrA Paintings by Stephane," opens Thursday and is scheduled to run through March 31.

"This will be the grand finale before Bruce closes his shop," said his wife, Maryanne. "It’s bittersweet."

Webber said he plans to exit stage right to spend more time with his family and friends. There will also be lots of golf outings.

"Who knows, I may even have time to paint and sculpt again," Webber cracked.

Stephane, who only uses a single name, first came to the gallery about two years ago and was immediately encouraged to consider doing a show. The Belgian artist, a Wellington resident, agreed to put together a body of work three months ago.

He works in multiple mediums — acrylic, oil and encaustic. Stephane also works in clay.

"I found his work to be strong and powerful and totally different from what I’ve been known for - Florida landscapes and antique paintings," Webber said.

The opening reception is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Webber’s mind will likely be racing with memories during the event.

"After 47 years of serving my clients ... I have also been part of their family," he said. "I have met many wonderful people. These 47 years have been filled with joy, hard work and great satisfaction."